


Hidden Memories

by AnaiyaRhayne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marriage Proposal, Miscarriage, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:06:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27080170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaiyaRhayne/pseuds/AnaiyaRhayne
Summary: In order to protect him from Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Hermione performed an extremely powerful memory charm on her husband. The only way for him to unlock his hidden memories? He has to say 'I love Hermione Granger.' In order to protect herself against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Hermione had someone else perform the same memory charm on her. The only way for her to unlock her hidden memories? She has to say 'I love Severus Snape.'
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Severus Snape, Lavender Brown/Ron Weasley
Comments: 26
Kudos: 151





	1. The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I post chapters, I will update the tags. I hope everyone enjoys the first chapter :D

**Chapter 1**

**~The Letter~**

"Why me, Kingsley?" Severus asked with his usual snark. "Why send me to try to do the impossible?"

"Because Harry and Ron both want to bring her home," Kingsley explained gently. "The Americans have a saying: no soldier left behind. Hermione was one of the main soldiers in the front lines in a war against the darkest wizard of this generation. We need to bring her home, if not for anyone else, then for her two best friends."

"What are they doing that they can't do this?" Severus replied. 

"They've been on an undercover mission for the last six months," Kingsley answered, worry evident in his voice. "Draco was the one who brought this to me. Harry was reminiscing about their past before he left and Draco wants his husband to have someplace to visit with her, even if it's a grave."

"Why me, though?" Severus reiterated.

"Simply put, because you're the best," Kingsley sighed. "And the best is what is needed to find her."

"Alright, Kingsley, I'll do it," Severus conceded. "But from here on out, we're even. Understood?"

"I understand, Severus," Kingsley breathed a sigh of relief.  _ I'll have to let Minerva know to expect Severus after a while, _ Kingsley thought to himself. "Thank you, Severus. The best place to start would be her parents house in Crawley."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Severus Snape stood in the middle of the Granger's living room, a contemplative expression on his face. Almost everything was covered in at least a centimeter of dust, as if proving that no one had been there in quite awhile. While he didn’t mind doing favors for others, he was mildly miffed that he was the one who was sent to check on Hermione and her parents.

_ While I agree that someone should be sent to investigate the Granger's home,  _ he snarked to himself.  _ I don't understand why it had to be me! Surely Potter or Weasley should have been the ones to check after they returned...but I can’t blame them for not wanting to be flooded with memories since they had her declared dead just a few short months ago.  _

As he slowly looked around the living room, there was one spot on the mantle that was completely spotless, as if it had a preservation spell on it. The magic that hummed from there seemed warm and familiar, though for the life of him, he didn't know why. It's hum was welcoming, though, so he knew whoever had been there wasn't hostile.

He slowly rose his hand to the center of the void and wasn’t surprised to feel a ward blocking it. He was surprised, though, when the ward gave under slight pressure and appeared to swallow his hand. As he reached in, his fingers brushed what felt like a thin roll of parchment, so he grabbed it and gently brought it towards him, hoping the ward wouldn't incinerate it. His eyes widened when he saw his name written on it in familiar, loopy handwriting. He didn’t know exactly when, but he knew that Hermione had been here, and it was with slight curiosity that he unrolled the parchment and started reading. 

_ Severus, _

_ If you're reading this, it means one of two things: either I'm dead, which wouldn't surprise me since we were in a war, or I've experienced such a traumatic brain injury that it caused amnesia and I can no longer remember the magical world, which, let's face it, many blood purists would be happy about.  _

Severus growled at that thought, then chuckled at the next sentence.

_ If Harry killed Voldemort and won the war for us, you probably growled at that thought, and after being a spy for twenty years, I don't blame you. You've been through enough at this point that I would understand if you decided to just walk away from everything. Before you do, though, there's something that I must confess now that I'm no longer around to face the repercussions: you've been through much more than you remember. _

Severus's normally stoic façade fell as his jaw dropped.

_ You see, in order to protect you, I placed a powerful memory charm on you that only me or you can break. Only one phrase can unlock your memories and I knew it had to be something that you would never, even accidentally, say. Would you like to know the phrase I used? _

"Of course, you insufferable chit," Severus growled.

_ Stop growling, Severus. Yes, I know you well enough to know that, and more besides. Alright, the phrase to unlock your memories is...wait, before I tell you, I need you to do something for me - well, two somethings, actually. The first is to please check on my parents. I placed the same memory charm on them as I did on you with the same unlock phrase. I modified their memories to make them believe their life dream was to retire to Australia. I also modified their memories to completely remove myself from them so that if something did happen to me, they wouldn't go through the heartbreak of losing a daughter.  _

_ The second thing I request is that if I was declared dead and there was no physical body for them to bury, try to find me. I know I said in the beginning of this letter that I'm either dead or have amnesia, but it's also possible that I asked someone to place the same memory charm on me that I placed on you. If I did, then the unlock phrase is probably similar, swapping my name with yours. If I did ask someone to place the memory charm on me, it would have been Minerva, so that would be the place to start.  _

_ Okay, so the phrase to unlock your memories is… _

_ I love Hermione Granger. _

_ I know reading that probably pisses you off in ways I can't even imagine, but please don't do anything rash if and/or when you use it. Your memories will explain everything, I promise. All I ask is that you don't get too angry with me if and when they return...remember, I did this to protect you. Well, to protect you and one other, but you’ll learn that if or when you decide to restore your memories. If nothing else, just know that I am truly sorry for breaching your trust.  _

_ Come and find me, Severus. If anyone can do it, I know it will be you, even if only to berate and lecture me. _

_ Forever yours, _

_ Hermione _

"That impertinent, insufferable...witch!" Severus half shouted. "Why in the hell would she leave me of all people a letter? Why not Potter or Weasley? Why would she expect me to find her? And why in the hell would I _ ever, _ even accidentally, use the phrase  _ 'I love Hermione Granger' _ ...oh  _ shit! _ " 

Severus's brash exclamation was followed by a sudden barrage of memories that raced through his mind so fast, it brought him to his knees. He stayed like that, frozen, as his mind was filled with memories of him...and his beloved Hermione.


	2. ~Remembering~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: There is a miscarriage in the fifth paragraph. If you cannot handle reading about it, that is the paragraph you'll need to skip.

**Chapter 2**

**~Remembering~**

"I suddenly find myself wanting to kiss you," Severus purred.

"And I find myself wanting to let you," Hermione gasped quietly.

"But I can't, not yet," he whispered sorrowfully.

"Why not?" She huffed, crossing her arms in front of herself in frustration.

"Because you aren't seventeen yet," Severus replied softly. He placed one hand on her cheek and sighed in pleasure when she leaned into it. "I dare not let myself do more than this."

"Will you snog me senseless?" She asked hopefully. "When I am seventeen?"

"Oh yes, my dear, I certainly will," he promised, his eyes smoldering.

"Two more weeks," she breathed, trying to communicate her desire for him with just her eyes. "We just have to hold on for two more weeks."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"A perfect end to a perfect night," Hermione murmured as she lay her head in Severus's lap. "Thank you, love."

"Do you?" Severus whispered, almost not believing what he had just heard.

"Do I what?" Hermione asked, looking up at him in confusion.

"Do you love me?" He clarified.

"Yes, Severus, I do," her smile dazzled as she answered him. "I love you with everything in me."

"Thank the gods," he whispered. "I love you, too." He gently moved her head off of his lap, then stood, picked her up bridal style, and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and started worshipping her like the goddess he knew she was.

"I know I said that I wanted us to wait," Severus said softly as he kissed her softly. "But I can't think of a more perfect moment than this to make you mine. Are you ready for me, Hermione?"

"Yes, Severus, I am," she gasped in pleasure in ecstasy. "Please make love to me!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Hermione Jean Granger, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" Severus was quietly practicing his proposal to Hermione in his sitting room. He wanted the moment to be absolutely perfect when he finally asked her, so he waited until he thought she was asleep to get a feel for how he wanted to do it. He didn't know he wasn't alone until he heard a voice from behind him.

"Yes, Severus, I will marry you," she said tearfully, though her face was alight with the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

"Hermione!" He exclaimed as he turned to face her. "I didn't know you were awake!" 

"I sort of figured that out when I saw you proposing to an empty room," she laughed as she walked forward and took him by the hand. "And my answer is the same...yes, I will marry you."

“You don’t know just how happy you’ve made me, my sweet witch!” He exclaimed as he lifted her up and spun her in a circle. Afterwards, he gathered her in his arms and gave her the sweetest kiss she had ever received. When they broke apart gasping for much needed air, he slipped the ring on her finger and whispered reverently, “I love you, Hermione.”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The newly married couple spent the entirety of their honeymoon locked in their hotel room. When they weren't eating, sleeping, or using the loo, they were in bed, exploring each other. When they did eat or sleep, they did so sans clothes so that if the want arose, they could jump into bed for more exploring. Even though many people owled them asking when they were returning, they just let the letters fall to the floor and sent the owls away. After two weeks of honeymooning, Hermione sat Severus down.

"Severus, there's something I need to tell you," she said quietly, taking him by the hands.

"Hermione, what is it?" Severus was worried. In the entire time they'd been together, she had never sounded more serious as she did at that moment. "Whatever it is, we'll get through it."

"I'm pregnant, Sev," she whispered, looking down.

"Look at me, Hermione," he whispered, taking her gently by the chin and lifting her head. When she opened her eyes, she gasped at the delight and complete joy that was spread across his face. "This is the best gift you've ever given me. I never thought I would have the chance to be a father, and I'm utterly delighted to share that experience with the love of my life."

"Oh Severus," tears of joy were streaming down her face as she leaned up to kiss him. as she leaned up to kiss him.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“I’m sorry, Severus, I did everything I could, but she lost one of the babies,” Poppy Pomfrey whispered, unshed tears making her voice thick. “By the time she got here, it was already too late to save the one, so I focused on the other. She’ll have to be on complete bed rest until she gives birth, but barring any complications, your daughter will be healthy. What happened?”

“She was pushed down the stairs,” Severus replied hollowly. “She couldn’t see who it was because they were disillusioned. I apparated as soon as I heard her message and I only just caught the people before they could leave.”

“Who was it?” Poppy clipped sternly. “And are they in any need of medical attention after facing you?”

“It was Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson,” Severus spat angrily. On one hand he couldn’t believe that any of his snakes would do something like this, though on the other hand, he wasn’t surprised. Voldemort must have promised them something extreme if they resorted to pushing Hermione down the stairs and stayed to watch. 

“Sev’rus?” he heard a small groan from behind him. He quickly made his way to her bed. “What happened? Where am I?”

“You were pushed, Maya,” he whispered, tears clouding his vision. “You’re in the hospital wing.”

“The babies?” Hermione whispered with slight panic, her voice hoarse from disuse. “Are the babies okay?”

“Our daughter is,” Severus almost choked on the words as they left his mouth. “I’m sorry, love...Madam Pomfrey did everything she could, but she couldn’t save our son.”

“Severus...please...please t-tell me you’re l-lying,” Hermione was crying so hard she could barely speak. “P-please no! NO! NO!! Please Severus, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“Hermione, no,” tears fell in sheets down Severus’s cheeks. “No, my love, there is no reason for you to be sorry! Absolutely none at all!!”

He laid down next to her and embraced her as tightly as he could without hurting her, letting her fall apart in his arms. He knew that such an emotional upheaval could be bad for her and their daughter, but he wasn’t about to say anything to her. He looked over to see tears streaming down Poppy’s cheeks as well. 

“Severus, do you want me to have Minerva come down here?” she asked quietly. “She knows what Hermione is going through and may be able to help her.”   
  
“Yes, thank you, Poppy,” he replied quietly. He looked down and saw that Hermione had passed out in his arms. “I’ll be staying here with her, so I’ll need to speak with Albus about taking over or cancelling my classes for the rest of the week. Will you contact both?”

“Of course, Severus,” Poppy answered and let her Patronus fly. Moments later, both Albus and Minerva came through the floo.

“Oh my dear, sweet girl,” Minerva whispered as she saw her favorite cub laying on the cot, pale as the snow outside. She looked up at Severus and told him, “If she needs to talk with me, contact me immediately, I don’t care what time it is.”

“Of course, Minerva,” he conceded as he turned to his headmaster.

“Albus, I need you to either take my classes the rest of the week or agree to let me cancel them if you can’t,” Severus requested. “I’m sure once word gets out to certain students, they’ll more than understand.”

“Of course, Severus,” Albus replied gently. “Your classes are cancelled for the next two weeks. The extra week is to spend as much time together as you can.” he clarified when he saw the look on Severus’s face. “Much too soon, you’ll have to leave her side for a while to ensure that Voldemort believes that you’re indeed on his side. During that time, you’ll be unable to communicate with each other, so I’m giving you the time now to do so.”

“I understand, Albus,” Severus conceded. He didn’t want to leave Hermione’s side, not now, but he knew that he had to play the part in order for them to be together in the end. 

“I love you, Sev’rus,” Hermione whispered in her sleep.

“I love you, too, my sweet Hermione,” he whispered back, though he knew she couldn’t hear him.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“Hermione, it’s time,” Severus looked down at the love of his life with tears in his eyes. He gently placed his hand on her every growing stomach. “You need to do the memory charm now, before I go to Voldemort. He  _ cannot _ know about you and Elara.”

“I know, Severus,” Hermione could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces. “Just know that I do, and will always, love you.”

“I love you, too, my sweet witch,” he leaned down to give her what could possibly be the last kiss he would ever give her and tears streamed down both of their faces when they parted. 

With only a slight tremble, Hermione lifted her wand and pointed it at his temple. 

“ _ Obscuros recuerdos de Hermione y nuestro amor, _ ” she intoned and watched, broken, as knowledge of her and her love for him was locked away. He passed out for several moments and it was during that time that she made herself presentable as nothing but a student again.

“Miss Granger,” he whispered when his eyes opened again. He looked around and saw he was on the floor. “What happened?”

“You fainted, sir,” she replied, trying her hardest to act like his student again. “Have you eaten anything today?”

“No, I haven’t,” he answered, standing just before the dark mark on his arm started burning. “But I don’t have time now. Will you let the headmaster know that it’s time?”

“Of course, Professor,” she somehow said with a calm voice. “Stay safe, sir.”

“You as well, Miss Granger,” he nodded before quickly departing the castle.


	3. ~Finding Her~

**Chapter 3**

**~Finding Her~**

Severus was slightly disoriented when he woke up on the floor and about to panic until he realized where he was and why he was there. Then hot tears started flowing down his cheeks.

"Hermione, my sweet love, my beautiful witch," Severus's choice was barely louder than a whisper, but broke on the next words. "Elara, my precious daughter. You can't be dead, you just can't be. I'm coming, my love. I'm coming." 

He was eternally grateful that he still had the ability to apparate in and out of the castle, and quickly stood to apparate to the Minerva's office at Hogwarts. A shattered glass and shrill shriek welcomed him.

"Severus, what on earth…" Minerva's words trailed off and her face paled in understanding when she saw the look on his face. "Oh gods, you remember!"

"Yes, Minerva, I remember," he snapped, giving her the letter to read before turning to face the headmaster. "Forgive me for just showing up like this, Albus, but I needed to see Minerva as soon as possible."

"I understand, Severus," Albus gave him a small smile. "Showing up unannounced like this, I'm assuming you said the phrase?"

"Yes, I did," Severus replied quietly as Minerva finished the letter and passed it to Albus to read. "Minerva, please, I have to know, is she - are they - alive? Are they safe?"

"Yes, they are alive  _ and _ safe, Severus," Minerva smiled softly. He had a feeling that she was hiding something, but at that moment, he just didn’t care.

"Can you tell me where they are?" He asked desperately, his voice breaking. He slid down into a chair in front of Albus's desk. "Please, Minerva, I'm begging you."

"She asked me to send her to a few different places over the course of the past couple of years," Minerva started explaining. "She thought it important not to remain in one place too long so that if any of Voldemort's followers were still around, they wouldn't find her easily. Before I performed the spell, she tasked me with coming to her every six months to move her and Elara to a new place." 

"Will you take me to them?" Severus begged. 

"I can't," Minerva sighed heavily. "Every time I moved them, I had the location obliviated from my mind...just in case."

"You," Severus breathed, understanding dawning on him as to why Albus was here. He turned to the headmaster. "Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, I do," Albus answered with a bright twinkle. "However, there are things you need to know before I take you to them."

"What can be more important than taking me to my wife and daughter?" Severus snapped. 

"Do you remember when she went on bed rest?" Minerva asked, trying to keep her tone light.

"Of course," the words ghosted over Severus's lips. "There's nothing about that day that I'll ever be able to forget."

"So you remember that Poppy ended up having to immobilize her from the waist down to help Elara stay in as long as possible," Albus continued. "As it was, Elara made her appearance two months early, nearly killing Hermione in the process."

"Severus, that important thing you need to know?" Minerva pressed on. "Hermione learned much later, after she placed the memory charm on you, that she cannot have any more children. My question for you...are you okay with that?"

"Am I okay with that?" He echoed the question in disbelief. "Even if she had never been able to have children, I will always want to be with Hermione. She's my love, my life, my  _ everything _ ."

"Just remember, she only sees you as her former professor," Albus warned lightly. "And you remember what kind of student she was."

"Always questioning everything and didn't trust anything she was told unless she thoroughly researched it," Severus smirked. "And always making sure that Longbottom successfully completed his potions even to the detriment of her house."

"Exactly, and since the end of the war, that distrustful behavior has become even worse," Minerva explained. "Especially when it comes to Elara. I'm informing you now, she won't be as warm and accommodating as she was when she was in school."

"She won't let you meet Elara right away, either, not unless she gets her memories back," Albus warned. "I haven't even been able to meet her and I've helped with her relocation twice."

"I understand, Minerva, Albus," he sighed. As much as he wanted to show her how much he still loved her, he needed to be patient - not one of his strong suits. "When can I see her?"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. 

"Come in," Albus called out loud enough to be able to be heard through the thick door.

When the door opened, the sight of his beautiful wife took Severus's breath away and made him freeze in his seat. In his mind, she had never looked so beautiful, so enchanting. It took everything in him not to race over to her, embrace her, and tell her how much he loved and missed her. Blood rushed in his ears so quickly, he almost missed her speaking to Albus.

"You wished to see me, Headmaster?" She asked in her melodic voice. When she looked around the room and saw Severus, a tentative smile lit her face.

"Oh, hello, Possessor!" She greeted him. "I haven't seen you since I left school! How have you been?"

"I've been doing well, Miss Granger," his silky voice replied. A look of confusion and uncertainty crossed her face so quickly, he thought he imagined it. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well," she replied brightly. "Now that things have settled down, I'm looking forward to being able to settle down myself."

"That's...good to hear," Severus replied hesitantly. He didn't think he could say anything more without breaking down, but one look from Minerva steeled his resolve. 

"Have you given any more thought to my offer, Hermione?" Albus asked after a few quiet moments. 

"About becoming the new Potions' mistress?" Hermione smiled softly. "Yes, I have, and I would love to do it, but I still have a year left before I attain my mastery, and I haven't found a new master to study under since my former master died."

Another look from Minerva was all it took for Severus's steel resolve to break into a million pieces.

"I could help you finish your studies," he offered hesitantly. As much as he loathed teaching the dunderhead students who seemed to take pride in melting as many cauldrons as possible, he would gladly do it to be able to spend time with Hermione.

"Would you, Professor?" The joy in Hermione's voice was unmistakable and, to him, irresistible, but what surprised him was that despite the emotion in her voice, the rest of her demeanor was completely demure. "Oh, that would be lovely. Thank you, sir."

She turned to Albus.

"If that's all, Albus, there are...tasks...I need to attend to," Hermione said softly.

"Of course, my dear," Albus smiled warmly.

"Say hello for us," Minerva said cryptically.

"Certainly," Hermione replied. She turned and addressed Severus. "Let me know when you're ready to meet to go over scheduling." 

"I will, Miss Granger," Severus nodded his head in response. 

"Good day, Albus, Minerva," she tipped her head in farewell. "Professor." 

Severus let go of the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding after the door quietly shut behind him. It was pure torture to be in the same room with his wife and not acknowledge her as such. He put his head in his hands and let out a deep sigh. 

"What happened to her?" Severus choked out. “She is not the same woman I remember. Even the memory charm shouldn’t have made her that...submissive.”

Albus and Minerva shared a pained look between them and silently agreed to fill their temporary potions professor in on what happened to his Hermione. 


	4. ~Discovery~

**Chapter 4**

**~Discovery~**

"Before we start, I'm going to offer you Firewhiskey and you're going to drink it without question," Minerva ordered. He raised an eyebrow and took the freshly poured tumbler from her. When he downed it, she refilled it and had him drink that before she started speaking. "Do you remember me telling you that she and the boys were captured and taken to the Manor?"

"Yes," Severus said slowly, wondering what that had to do with Hermione's demeanor. "But she seemed fine during and after the final battle, so I assumed…" The words slowly trailed off as his already pale complexion paled even more. "I was wrong, though, wasn't I? Minerva, how bad was it?"

"Albus would know better than I," Minerva sighed. "Poppy was inundated with people in the hospital wing and since she didn’t seem as physically injured as a lot of others were, he brought her here.”

"Albus?" Severus whispered as he struggled to keep his composure. "How bad was she?"

"It would be better for me to show you rather than try to explain it to you," Albus replied. "I stored the memories in here so that if you ever asked, I could show them to you." He studied Severus for a few moments before continuing. "I know you'll want to watch everything, but if you need to leave the pensieve at all, I will more than understand." He paused again to let his words sink in. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Severus replied firmly. "I need to know."

Albus led Severus to the cabinet that held the pensieve and together, they put their heads into the silver fluid.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

An hour later, Severus and Albus emerged from the pensieve. Even though Albus had seen the memories before, he was ashen, whereas Severus was trembling in fear, rage, and a small amount of pride. 

“How...how did she survive that?” Severus’s voice was shaking and he looked like he was about to be sick. “In all the years that I was around him, I’ve never,  _ ever _ seen someone go through that much torture...and  _ survive. _ ”

“She survived because she had to,” Albus replied hoarsely. “Even if it meant completely breaking her. As you saw, they got extremely close to doing just that.”

“Too close,” Severus muttered more to himself than to Albus. “And she’s been like this since Dobby apparated them out of there?”

“Yes,” Albus said solemnly. “Minerva didn’t say anything until a year ago, not wanting to make something out of nothing, so that’s when I started helping with her relocations. Over the last twelve months, I’ve noticed that she’s demure, quiet, and submissive - nothing like how she was when she was a student. When an idea is suggested, she goes along with the oldest male’s suggestion. Everything that I’ve observed through not only watching her, but also closely watching the memories, leads me to believe that she was tortured into submission via the Cruciatus or...other means.”

“You mean rape and other forms of torture, don’t you?” Severus seethed. He had seen the technique used hundreds of times on the people Voldemort had captured, but never did he imagine Hermione would ever have to go through something like that. His heart broke for her and he wanted to do nothing more than go to her.

“Yes,” Albus whispered, confirming Severus’s fear.

“That is why it is absolutely vital that you do not push her in any way,” Minerva replied quietly, coming through the door again. “We’ve been slowly trying to break through the torture’s hold on her, but it’s been extremely slow going. We’re hoping that having her here at the castle, in familiar territory, will help speed up her recovery.”

“Do you think it’s possible she could have another curse on her?” Severus asked, his thoughts racing through possibilities. “One that can’t be detected by the usual spells?”

That thought hadn’t occurred to them before, and Albus and Minerva looked at each other thoughtfully.

“I would check her myself, but considering she doesn’t remember what we had together, she doesn’t trust me,” Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “There is one spell that Voldemort used that I’m pretty sure no one on our side used.”   
  
“What spell would that be?” Minerva asked, intrigued. 

“ _ Ultima revelio maxima _ ,” Severus replied.

“You’re right, we haven’t used that one,” Albus pondered, his eyes twinkling. “And you’re right, of course. No one on our side has used that spell, but not because it wasn’t known; it was because it can have horrible consequences if more than one person is in the room.”

“I know,” Severus acknowledged. “Voldemort killed more than one person because of what that spell revealed.”

“How many times were you in the room when he cast it?” Minerva asked, hoping that the answer that was in her mind was not the answer that she would receive. Her hope was dashed, though when Severus spoke. 

“Every single time,” Severus answered honestly. “The  _ only _ thing that saved me was the fact that he knew I was a spy for both sides. If anyone else tried to claim that they were spying on the Order, they were summarily executed.”

“So if we use this spell on Hermione, it will reveal every spell that has been cast on her?” Minerva asked.

“Yes,” Albus confirmed, then said pointedly. “Including ones that may be hiding scars.”

“Her arm,” Minerva gasped. “It will cancel the concealment charm on it.”   
  
“Has it been treated?” Severus asked. Even the thought of the despicable word that had been carved on her arm was enough for bile to rise into his throat. 

“To a point,” Albus sighed heavily. “A cursed blade was used and we haven’t found a way to heal it completely, so every few days, the wounds reopen and start to bleed again.”

“What Albus is not saying is that when they do reopen,” Minerva lightly snapped, giving Albus a dirty look. “Hermione bleeds so much that she needs to take a blood replenishing potion until we can get the wounds to close again.”

“Oh, Hermione,” Severus breathed. Then a thought occurred to him, one that almost made his blood freeze. “Where was Elara during the ten months she and the boys were looking for the horcruxes?” 

“Here in the castle, under the protection of the house elves,” Minerva smiled as she let Severus in on one of her many secrets. “Winky especially took a shining to her and all of the elves were under orders not to breathe a word of her existence to anyone other than me.”

“She was here the entire time?” Severus sputtered. “How in the world were you able to keep that from me?”

“Well, like I said, the house elves were under orders not to say anything,” Minerva explained gently. “And when I did visit with her, I made sure that I did so clandestinely. The few times you did come close to discovering her...well...I  _ may _ have used redirect charms on you...and  _ maybe _ an occasional obliviate the few times you did open the door to her rooms.”

“Minerva, you should have been in Slytherin,” Albus chuckled when he saw the look of astonishment on Severus’s face. “We need to plan the procedure carefully and give Hermione all the details, everything from our suspicions to the treatment. We need to make sure she’s aware of and agrees to every step of the plan before we proceed with anything. If there are questions - and as this is Hermione, I’m sure there will be - we need to answer her with brutal honesty.”   
  
“The only thing I would recommend keeping hidden is your part in this, Severus,” Minerva suggested. After a few moments of no response from him, she looked over to see him staring at the floor, a look of consternation on his face. 

Severus was so lost in his thoughts that everything, and everyone, faded from the room. His beautiful wife, his love, his Hermione, was so strong, so determined, that not only did she protect their marriage from being discovered, she also protected their daughter in the most extreme circumstances, and he had never been prouder of her. Though he understood that she didn’t see him as anything other than her professor, he ached to be with her - to be with both of them. He knew it would take a while, but he knew that it was something that he wanted to change. His mind whirled with possibilities. 

He knew they needed to use the spell on her in order to see if she was under a charm. He also knew that Hermione was not the type of person to just let someone point their wand at her without a detailed explanation as to why, then thoroughly research it for herself before agreeing or disagreeing to their request. Her attention to research and details was one of the reasons that he fell in love with her. 

A gentle voice shook him from his reverie.

“Severus, you should get some sleep,” Minerva’s Scottish brogue shook him from his memories. “Especially if you’re agreeing to finish Hermione’s apprenticeship and teach the older classes.”

“Of course, Minerva,” Severus replied quietly, still distracted by his thoughts. He looked up at Minerva with a look of gratitude. “I want to thank you for keeping her safe - for keeping them both safe. I’ll forever be in your debt.”

“No, Severus,” Minerva replied firmly, shaking her head in disagreement. “You kept the majority of the students as safe as you could during the Carrow’s reign in the castle. If anything, we owe you.” She held out her hand and helped him out of his chair. “You’re more than welcome to stay in your old quarters tonight, no one else has claimed them since they’re in the dungeons. Poppy also has some Dreamless Sleep if you need some. Good night, Severus.”

“Good night, Minerva, Albus,” he replied quietly as he stood and left the room. 


	5. ~Home Again~

**Chapter 5**

**~Home Again~**

As he slowly trudged his way to his old quarters, his mind drifted back to the many times that he and Hermione had walked this same path. More than once, they had had to cast notice-me-not charms on themselves so that no one would ask questions as to why they were together as often as they were. The familiar trek was comforting and helped calm his troubled mind. He was hurting and he was pining for his wife. 

_ No, _ he growled to himself viciously.  _ No, I will wait for her for as long as it takes and I will show her that I still love her...that I have always and will always love her. _

He felt the familiar hum of his own magic under his hand when he stepped up to the door. He smiled when he remembered when he had put the wards up. At the time, he didn’t know exactly why he had put up such strong wards, and he just put it down to being cautious, especially when students were being tortured under the Carrows’ care. 

When he walked in the door, everything was as he remembered it. The furniture, the hangings, the bedroom, everything. Another memory came floating to his mind's surface. He remembered asking Minerva to come down to the dungeon quarters and asking her to vanish all traces of Hermione’s presence. He went on to explain that he knew he would throw a fit if, after the memories were locked, he saw any proof that a student had been in his quarters. She reluctantly agreed and did as he asked while he met with Hermione to undergo the charm. 

He remembered being confused when he walked back down to his rooms that night, though he accepted Hermione's explanation of passing out because he hadn't eaten. It hadn't been the first time he had passed out due to lack of food and he knew it wouldn't be the last time. After all, it wasn't easy to find time to eat when he had classes, was helping students, was head of Slytherin, and was spying for Dumbledore and Voldemort on top of everything else. He had just shaken his head, prepped everything for the next day, and went to bed.

Now, even though much was the same, just as much was different. He remembered. He remembered the first time he had noticed her as more than just a student. He remembered how they got together and how they had to hide it at first because she wasn't seventeen yet. He remembered the first time he kissed her in the welcoming darkness of the Forbidden Forest while they were looking for potions ingredients. He remembered the first time they had slept together. She hadn't been ready to have sex yet, but he had been able to hold her all night while they slept. He remembered waking up the next morning more content than he had in a long time, and the smile she had given him infused him with more happiness than he thought he'd ever experience. 

When he opened his closet, he found a surprise. There, in several shrunken boxes, was everything that Hermione had either accidentally left or purposefully placed in his rooms. In the boxes were her knicknacks, her clothes, her books, and more. He opened the first box to find several books from her personal collection. He longed to put everything back in its proper place, but he worried that if she were to come into his rooms for some reason before unlocking her own memories, that she would become suspicious as to why he had her things. 

He sank down into the chair that was in front of his fireplace as his thoughts drifted to their daughter. What kind of child was she? Was she as inquisitive as her mother? Or was she as sneaky as her father? What was her favorite food, her favorite color? Where had she taken her first steps, what was her first word? Those thoughts and more plagued him until his eyes felt heavy and he realized that he was in danger of falling asleep in his chair if he didn't move to his bed.

As he took off his robe and shirt, he turned towards his bed, remembering the last night they had spent together. They both knew it was going to be their last night together in a while and he made sure to worship her and show her just how much he loved her. When he laid his head down on the pillow, though, the ability to fall asleep had fled and he did something that he hadn't allowed himself to do in years. He started sobbing. 

How it must have broken her heart to remove his memories of them together! How it must have absolutely destroyed her to have to hide her affection, her love, for him until she asked Minerva to lock her memories. As the tears fell in sheets down his cheeks, he felt his own heart being crushed and he realized that this is how she must have felt. How many times did she cry herself to sleep until she went to Minerva? 

After a couple of hours of crying for Hermione, he got back up and grabbed the Dreamless Sleep potion he had gotten from Poppy. While he hated taking it because he never woke up feeling rested, he knew it was better to get even a few hours of sleep rather than not sleep at all. He also grabbed a small snack from his kitchen, as taking the potion without eating anything made him feel weird. 

Severus downed the potion after eating his snack and laying back down. The potion didn't taste nearly as strong as one of his own, and he knew that with it being this weak, he would have a hard time staying asleep. 

Little did he know that across the castle, sleep was eluding someone else, as well.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

After rolling over for what felt like the thousandth time, Hermione sighed and got out of bed. As she donned her robe, her thoughts strayed to what had transpired in the Headmaster's office. While it was true that she had been looking for another potion's master to study under to finish her mastery, never did she think that Severus Shape would be the one to help her. 

Hermione frowned as her interaction with Severus came to mind. He didn't act the way she remembered. She thought he would have been snarky when offering to help her. Instead, he seemed hesitant, trepidatious, and...hopeful? The look in his eyes when he looked at her had seemed pained, though, like he was looking at the sun without protection. And his interaction with her almost seemed familiar somehow, though she couldn't put her finger on why. 

She silently walked into her daughter's room, softly smiling at the sleeping toddler. Elara was a beautiful child, her face mirroring Hermione's, but instead of having Hermione's chestnut hair and whiskey colored eyes, Elara had straight, black hair and obsidian eyes. As Hermione reached down to gently run her fingers through her hair, her daughter sighed softly in her sleep. Hermione was grateful that Elara was an easy baby compared to some, only fussing when she needed something. Hermione knew she had gotten lucky with Elara, but she was slightly sad that Elara would be her only child. 

Hermione went back to her room, opting not to take a potion to help her sleep in case Elara woke up and needed her. She knew Winky would help her if she needed, but she didn't like to rely on the house elf too often, not after spending Elara's first year searching for horcruxes with Harry and Ron. Hermione hated taking potions for anything, actually, especially with what had happened during Elara's birth. As she laid back down, she let her mind drift to the most boring books she could remember to help her fall asleep. It wasn't long before it worked and she fell fast asleep.


	6. ~Hermione's Dream~

**Chapter 6**

**~Hermione's Dream~**

_ Hermione was sitting in her favorite chair in front of the fireplace, reading her favorite book and sipping on a glass of wine. With every page turn, the worry for her husband increased tenfold, as did the tightness in her chest. Every so often, a random tear would trek down her cheek and she would quickly wipe it away. Every minute he was gone seemed to pass slower and slower and she knew she wouldn't sleep until he was back. Thank goodness tomorrow was Saturday and she didn't have to worry about being sleep deprived in class.  _

_ Just as she closed her eyes, a flash in front of her caused them to swiftly reopen. Her heart clinched in absolute joy - her husband was finally home! _

_ "Severus!" She cried out, jumping out of her chair to greet him. "I was so worried about you! You were gone much longer than last time…" Her words trailed off as her husband limped out of the fireplace. "Severus, did he...he used the Cruciatus on you again, didn't he?" _

_ "Yes," Severus gasped, falling to his knees in front of her. He had long stopped being snarky with her, knowing that she could dish as much as she could take.  _

_ "Oh, Severus," she groaned in sympathy. She helped him up off the floor and to their en suite. She  _ accio _ 'ed the potions she knew he would need and vanished his clothes before helping him into the large tub. She watched him down all the potions before taking off her robe and joining him. "What do you need?" _

_ "To hold you," he whispered desperately, pulling her snugly against him. "Just to hold you."  _

_ She leaned her head back against his chest and closed her eyes, thankful that he was home again. She absolutely hated when he left, never knowing if it would be the last time. She was so lost in her thoughts, she almost missed him speaking again. _

_ "Knowing you're here waiting for me, not knowing if I'm coming home, helps me keep my head around him," he murmured against her hair. "My goal every time I leave is to come home safe to you. Going through the  _ Cruciatus _ is nothing compared to being without you." _

_ "I know, Severus," she replied just loud enough for him to hear. "I will always be here waiting for you...to remind you just how much you mean to me - and just how much I love you." _

_ The couple sat in silence for several minutes without moving or speaking. As the tightness in Severus's muscles slowly eased, his hands started wandering around his wife's body. With each pass, his hands traveled lower and lower until they were between her thighs. She quietly moaned as he gently pushed one index finger inside of her while his other index finger rubbed her sensitive nub. The more he rubbed her, the stronger the heat in her center became. Every time he felt her getting close, he paused, letting her calm down before continuing his ministrations.  _

_ "Severus!" She finally cried out in ecstasy as she orgasmed harder than she had in awhile. She turned her head and reached up for a kiss, deepening it when she felt his tongue slide across her lips. She pulled back only long enough to turn around and straddle him, then continued kissing him. _

_ She felt him press against her center and positioned herself to allow him inside, moaning once he was fully in her. She slowly rode him, taking care to not let too much of the water splash out of the tub. Each time she felt him get close, she stopped, paying him back for what he did earlier.  _

_ "Hermione, please…" he begged against her lips, curling his fingers inside her hair. _

_ "Please what, Severus?" She asked innocently, pausing her movements. "Do you want to cum? Do you want to breed me?" _

_ "Yes, my witch," he gasped almost incoherently. "I want to cum...want to breed you!" _

_ "Then do it," she whispered seductively in his ear. "Breed me...breed your witch!" _

_ He shouted her name in pure ecstasy as he pushed himself deep inside her and filled her with his seed, then wrapped his arms around her so she couldn't leave his lap.  _

_ Several minutes passed before they left the tub, dried off, and went to their bed. As they laid down, Severus gathered her in his arms again. Hermione rested her head against his chest, breathed in his natural musk, and sighed with happiness.  _

_ "I can't wait until the day you don't have to go to him any more," she murmured against his chest. _

_ "Me either, my love," he whispered, kissing her head. "Me either." _

_ As the fire quietly crackled its unique lullaby, they fell asleep in each other's arms. _

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"What in the bloody  _ hell _ was that?" Hermione gasped as she awoke and shot straight up in her bed. Her eyes frantically looked for her wand to cast a  _ tempus _ charm, groaning when she realized that she had only been asleep for about two hours. She let her head fall back onto the pillow, quickly making the decision to talk to Minerva about the dream in the morning.  _ She should surely have some answers, right? _ She wondered to herself. 

After two sleepless hours, Hermione heard her daughter start stirring in her room and knew that she was going to have to take a pepper-up potion in order to get through the day. As she walked in the room, she smiled when she heard Elara's usual  _ "Hi mummy!" _ greeting. With the dream still in the forefront of her mind, she couldn't help but notice the similarities between her daughter and her new teacher. They shared the same black hair and the same obsidian eyes, though that's where the similarities ended.  _ Severus would skin me alive if I ever insinuated that Elara was his, _ she laughed to herself. She knew she should probably talk to Minerva about that, too, but decided against it as it was just too preposterous.

Wasn't it?


	7. ~Starting Over~

**Chapter 7**

**~Starting Over~**

“Hello, Hermione,” Minerva smiled brightly when her favorite cub knocked on her office door. “How are you doing this morning?”

“I’m doing great, Minerva,” Hermione smiled.  _ Or I would be if I had gotten just a little more sleep, _ she mused to herself. Based on the slight narrowing of Minerva’s eyes, though, she knew her mentor didn’t quite believe her. 

“Honestly?” Minerva raised her eyebrows, mentally chuckling when Hermione’s cheeks went pink and she cast her eyes downward. 

“Well, I didn’t sleep the best last night,” Hermione admitted quietly. She had debated with herself on telling Minerva the reason why, and ultimately decided to ask for help interpreting the dream. “I had a dream about me and Severus that seemed extremely realistic. It was almost as if I was reliving a memory, but…”

“But…?” Minerva asked, trying to temper her curiosity and keep her emotions in check. 

“But I’ve never done... _ that _ ...with Severus!” Hermione mumbled hesitantly, too embarrassed to look up from her lap.

Minerva’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected Hermione to admit to something like that, but based on what she said, or rather, what she hadn’t said, Minerva assumed that the memories that Hermione had locked away were starting to come out in her dreams. She knew she needed to sit down with Severus and Albus and let them know what was going on, but she first needed to reassure Hermione that dreams like that were sometimes normal. 

“Have you ever thought of Severus in that way?” Minerva cautiously asked. Hermione mumbled her answer so softly that Minerva missed the answer. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you. What did you say?”

“I said, yes, I have,” Hermione’s voice only rose loud enough for Minerva to be able to hear. “Back in my fifth year I had...somewhat of a crush on him.” She closed her eyes as her cheeks tinged a darker pink. “But that’s normal, isn’t it? To have a crush on a professor? I mean, a lot of the girls in my dorm talked about having a crush on a teacher or two...and most of the girls had a crush on Lockhart when he was here...but having a dream like  _ that _ based on a crush that I had back in school? That was years ago, so why would I have a dream like that now?” Hermione took a deep breath. “Sorry, Minerva, you know I start to ramble when I get like this.”

“It’s quite alright, my dear,” Minerva’s chuckle eased Hermione’s nerves and she laughed alongside her mentor. “And you’re quite right, it is normal to have a crush on a professor or two. I actually had a crush on three of my professors when I attended Hogwarts.”

“Did you really?” Hermione giggled, offering Minerva a rare true smile. 

“Yes, really,” Minerva confirmed, smiling brightly. “But enough about me, my dear. Have you decided whether you’re going to take Severus up on his offer to complete your apprenticeship?”

“Yes, I’ve decided,” Hermione said coyly. “And yes, I’ve already written to him to see if he’s still willing. I know he doesn’t like to wait for answers, so I hope he hasn’t changed his mind in the last twelve hours.”

“Knowing Severus as I do now, I can tell you he hasn’t changed his mind,” Minerva replied cryptically, though Hermione failed to notice. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

In the dungeons of the castle, Severus was reading a short letter that he had hoped to receive.

_ Severus, _

_ I do apologize for taking my time writing you this short missive, but if you're still willing, I'd like to complete my apprenticeship under your tutelage. Please let me know when you'd like to meet to set up my schedule for the next year.  _

_ Hope to hear from you soon. _

_ Hermione _

While his heart soared in joy, his head kept him grounded as it swiftly reminded him that she was still unaware of their relationship. He quickly grabbed a quill and piece of parchment to write her back. 

_ Hermione, _

_ If you're able, I would like to meet with you this afternoon around 3pm to set up the schedule you'll be following.  _

_ Please let me know if this works for you. _

_ Severus _

"Dobby," Severus called out. 

"Yes, Master Snape?" Dobby replied when he popped into the room.

"Will you take this to Miss Granger right away please?" Severus asked politely. "And please wait to see if she wants to send a response back."

"Yes, Master Snape," Dobby said, popping out of the room. 

Severus hoped that she would be willing to meet that afternoon, but even if she couldn't, he would wait for her for as long as he needed to.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

When Dobby popped into Minerva's office with Severus's reply, it only slightly surprised Hermione. A smile slowly grew on her face when she saw that he wanted to meet that afternoon. She confirmed her reply on the back of the parchment he had sent her, then turned back to Minerva.

"He wants to meet this afternoon," Hermione explained excitedly. 

Minerva silently noticed the change in Hermione and made a mental note to talk to Albus about a theory that had just occurred to her. 

"You know you'll have to tell him about Elara, right?" Minerva asked gently. 

"I know," Hermione sighed heavily. She briefly thought about talking to Minerva about her musings from that morning, but ultimately decided against it. "I just hope he understands."

"He will," Minerva promised. "What are you going to be doing until then?"

"I'm thinking about taking Elara down to the lake to see the giant squid," Hermione smiled softly. "I want to spend as much time with her as possible before I start studying with Severus."

"Completely understandable," Minerva replied. "Will you stop by my office after your meeting with him and let me know how it goes?"

"Of course, Minerva," Hermione grinned. "I just hope he got over calling me an insufferable know-it-all. I'll see you later." She gave Minerva a small hug and left the office. 

Minerva waited a few minutes until she was sure Hermione was gone, then quickly made her way to Albus's office. 

"Albus, have you had the chance to do any more research?" She asked after he invited her in. 

"Yes, I have," he answered, motioning to the book that lay open on his desk. "And I think I may have found something, but you knocked before I could finish reading it. Give me a few minutes, then we'll talk."

Minerva nodded her consent and watched as his eyes moved steadily across the page. One thing that she admired about Albus was that when he did find something important, he normally exhibited no tells as to whether the information was good or not. This situation was not normal, though, because she saw his eyebrows disappear into his hairline just before he looked up.

"Did you find something, Albus?" Minerva asked, hoping for food news.

"I hope so, but I need more information before I can say whether it's good news or not," Albus replied. "You talked with Hermione this morning, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," Minerva confirmed. 

"This is going to sound like an odd question, but has she dreamt of Severus recently?" He asked.

"Yes, just last night as a matter of fact," Minerva was stunned. Out of all the questions he could have asked, she was not expecting that one. "Why do you ask?" 

"The memory charm that she used on Severus, and in turn that you used on her, has an extremely rare side effect of reversing itself when one is in the company of their soulmate if both members of the soul bond have been charmed with that charm," Albus explained. "Their meeting yesterday was the first time they had been in the same room since you performed the charm on her. This side effect has only been reported a handful of times, but every report says that the memories start coming back in the form of dreams."

"Oh my goodness," Minerva gasped. "Albus, we have to warn them - or at least warn Severus!" 

"Or...we could just let this play out," Albus suggested, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He quickly continued when he saw Minerva about to speak. "Hear me out before you say anything. The longer they remain in each other's presence, the longer it will take for the memories to come back. If they come back over time, Hermione might be more apt to believe them in her current state of mind than if they came back all at once."

Minerva's jaw snapped shut as she considered Albus's words. On one hand, she thought that Hermione should get all her memories back at once like Severus did, but on the other, she thought of how disoriented Severus looked when he apparated into her office after getting all of his memories back at once. If Hermione were to get all of her memories back at once in, it might send her into a tailspin she may not recover from. A smile slowly spread across her face as the idea grew in her mind. 

"Okay, Albus, we'll do it your way...for now," Minerva replied. "But if she asks, I'm going to tell her how to unlock her memories."

"Deal," Albus agreed as they shook on it.


	8. ~Unexpected News~

**Chapter 8**

**~Unexpected News~**

Hermione heard the sweetest sound she could hear as she walked into her rooms - her daughter's giggle. She smiled to herself, thankful that Winky loved her as much as she did. 

"Mummy!" Elara squealed when she saw Hermione and ran over to give her a hug. "Mummy mummy mummy!!"

"Hello, my darling girl," Hermione replied, picking her up and swinging her around. "Were you good for Winky today?"

"Yes, mummy!" Elara answered brightly.

"Good girl!" Hermione praised. "Would you like to go to the lake for a little while?" 

"Oh yes!" Elara exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “Yesyesyes!”

"Winky, I would like you to please join us if you don't have anything else to do," Hermione said warmly to the house elf. 

"I'd be honored to, Miss Hermione," Winky replied with a smile. With a snap of her fingers, everything was back in its proper place. 

As they slowly made their way down to the lake, Hermione and Elara chattered back and forth. Hermione wanted to know how much her daughter liked the castle and if she wanted to stay there for the time being. Hermione’s heart constricted with happiness when she saw the joy on her daughter’s face. 

“And you, Winky? How do you like being in the castle again?” Hermione asked the once timid house elf.

“I like it a lot,” Winky answered honestly. “Not much has changed and it’s nice to see the other elves again.”   
  
“Has anyone given you any problems when you go down to the kitchen?” Hermione wanted to know. 

“No,” Winky confirmed, making Hermione smile. “Especially not since Miss Minnie and Mister Albus came down to explain.”

“That was good of them,” Hermione replied. Before she could say anything else, however, a shadow crossed her path, making her tense up until she realized who it was. 

“My apologies, Miss Granger, I did not mean to startle you so,” Severus said softly. As much as he wanted to do otherwise, he steered himself from staring at his wife and daughter. 

_ She looks so much like me! _ He thought to himself in surprise.  _ How does she not see it? _

“It’s quite alright, professor,” Hermione smiled tightly, though she forced the rest of her body to relax. “It isn’t your fault that I’m this jumpy.” She took in his appearance, noting the bag he carried on his arm. “Where are you off to?”   
  
“I’m collecting ingredients in the forest for potions,” Severus explained lightly. “I was going to ask you to accompany me, but I figured you wanted some time to yourself before our meeting this afternoon. She’s precious, Miss Granger.”

“Thank you, professor,” Hermione gave Severus the first real smile she’d had in a while. “Her name is Elara. Elara Eileen Granger.”

“A beautiful name, Miss Granger,” Severus almost choked. Never had he imagined that she would introduce him to their daughter in such a manner, but mentally slapped himself when he realized that she really wouldn’t have been able to do anything else after coming across them. 

“May I say hello to her?” Severus asked quietly, deciding it was only polite since Elara didn’t know him from Merlin.

“Of course,” Hermione chuckled. She knew how Elara was with people she didn’t know, so Hermione hadn’t been surprised when Elara had hid her face in her mother’s neck. She gently whispered in Elara’s ear as not to scare her. “Elara, there’s someone who would like to say hello to you. He’s one of mummy’s old professors here at the school. Will you say hello to Professor Snape?”

Severus watched as Elara slowly lifted her head from the crook of Hermione’s neck and looked at him. He waited patiently as she continued looking at Hermione, then mentally celebrated as she looked at him. 

“Hello, Professor Snape,” she said in a small voice. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you going to be teaching my mummy again?”

“Yes, Miss Granger, I am,” he replied with a small smile. 

“I thought that was mummy?” Elara’s scrunched in confusion. 

“It is also you,” Severus explained calmly. “It is your last name, too, and unless you ask me to use your first name, that is what I will call you.”

“Mummy, can he call me by my name?” Elara looked up at Hermione hopefully.

“Do you want him to?” Hermione asked. Though she was surprised that her daughter had taken a liking to the professor, she didn’t let it show.

“Yes, I do,” Elara chirped, turning back to Severus. “You may call me Elara, professor.”

“Thank you, Elara,” Severus smiled at her and bowed slightly. “I’ll leave you to your afternoon. If it’s more convenient, Miss Granger, you may wait until Elara is in bed for the night before coming down.”   
  
“Thank you, professor,” Hermione smiled, though she was shocked. In all of her experience with the professor had she ever known him to postpone an appointment for any reason. “I can come down at 8pm, if it’s alright?”

“Of course, Miss Granger,” Severus replied, hoisting the bag to his shoulder. “I should go collect the ingredients I can. Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Granger, Elara.”

“You, too, professor,” Hermione murmured as they parted. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Up in her office, Minerva waited with bated breath. She expected the house elf she had sent to spy on Severus to be back at any moment and she was slowly becoming impatient. Just when she was about to call out for her, the elf in question popped into the room.

"Well?" Minerva asked. "Did they meet?"

"Yes, they met," Tipsy answered with a small smile. "And Miss Elara told Mister Severus that he could call her by her first name."

"Did either one notice the resemblance between Severus and Elara?" Minerva replied.

"Based on the sly looks they were giving each other, they both noticed, but neither said anything," Tipsy said quietly. "Would you like me to continue following Severus?"

"Yes, but please stay invisible unless he calls for you," Minerva smiled. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“Master Snape likes you,” Winky said to Hermione when they reached the lake. Even if Hermione didn’t remember that she and Severus were married, Winky did and she wanted to do everything she could to help Hermione remember. 

“No, he doesn’t,” Hermione snorted dismissively. “He’s just being nice because we’re discussing me becoming his new apprentice.”

“I think it might be more than that,” Winky replied firmly, her eyes never wavering from Elara. “His gaze were so bright when looking at you, I think he might  _ like _ like you.”

“N-no, he doesn’t,” Hermione stuttered with uncertainty. While it was true that she had had a crush on him while she was a student, she never expected anything to come of it because she was his student.

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Winky’s eyes twinkled much like Albus’s did when he was planning something. “You like him in some way, too, or you wouldn’t have reacted the way you did.”

“Winky!” Hermione playfully admonished, then conceded. “Okay, yes, I may have had a small crush on him when I was a student, but - “   
  
“Just when you were a student?” Winky interrupted, her voice sly. 

“Okay, fine, I still have a crush on him,” Hermione admitted quietly. “But even if I could do something about it, I still have Elara to think of. I doubt Professor Snape would want to be saddled with a child that isn’t his own if something were to happen between the two of us.” Hermione shook her head sadly. “No, it’s better this way. I can hide my little crush behind my occlumency shields and he’ll never know.”

_ If only you knew _ , Winky thought to herself, but decided to drop it for now. She knew everything would come out in time, she just had to be patient - and she needed to speak with Minerva.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Hermione stood outside the door to Severus’s office in silence as she gathered her thoughts. Before she could raise her hand and knock on the door, it opened before her, revealing Severus. 

“Hello, Professor,” she greeted softly, her voice slightly strained from being startled. 

“Hello, Miss Granger,” he smiled softly. “Please won’t you come in? And please, call me Severus.”

“Only if you call me Hermione,” she smiled back, stepping through the door, but not moving. “Hearing ‘Miss Granger’ makes me feel like I’m about to be in trouble for something.”

“Of course, Hermione,” he said quietly, silently noting that she had yet to move from beside the door. “Please, have a seat and I’ll call for some tea.”

While Severus called Tipsy for the tea, Hermione let her eyes roam around the room. Something about his living room seemed extremely familiar to her, but she didn’t understand why. Still, it felt like something was niggling at the back of her brain, as if she was missing something important. She mentally shook her head to clear her mind and realized she had missed Severus asking her something.

“I’m sorry, Severus, my mind decided to wander for a minute there,” Hermione apologized, her cheeks pink in embarrassment. “What did you ask?”

“I asked how much longer you have on your apprenticeship,” Severus repeated patiently. A light touch of  _ legilimency _ had shown him her thoughts, and her initial lack of reaction to his question both amused and concerned him.

“I have about ten months left before I can take the final tests and be accredited,” Hermione answered, a small smile forming on her face. “I could probably complete everything in less time, but that would mean spending less time with my daughter.”

“I understand,” Severus replied lightly. “What about her father? Surely he would be able to make sure she stays out of trouble while you study.”

“You’re probably right - if I knew who he was,” Hermione’s voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper. “However, I don’t know who her father is. Due to my part in the war, I asked for the knowledge of who he is to be erased from my memory so that his identity couldn’t be used against me - or him.” She faltered for a moment before continuing. “Why am I so comfortable telling you all of this?”

“Because you know of the innate trust that must be between a master and their apprentice,” Severus replied, shrugging his shoulders. “And you know that we’ll be sharing details of each other’s lives with each other.”

“ _ And _ you don’t seem like the same snarky dungeon bat that loved to torture all of us Gryffindors,” Hermione snorted in amusement. Then she quickly paled when she heard nothing but silence. With fear in her eyes, she slowly turned to look at Severus, only for her shoulders to sag in relief when she saw that he was smiling at her. A small giggle passed her lips and that was all it took for Severus to chuckle out loud. “Forgive me, Severus, that was completely uncalled for.”

“Completely understandable, Hermione,” Severus smiled softly. “And you aren’t wrong, I was indeed a snarky bastard before.”

“I didn’t say that,” Hermione quickly quipped.

“No, but I won’t deny it,” Severus replied. “Serving two masters was completely exhausting.”

“I don’t doubt,” Hermione inclined her head. “But I know you did everything you could to protect us.”

“Yes, I did,” Severus said so softly that she almost missed it. Then he cleared his throat and changed the subject. “So you said you had about ten months of study left. I’d like to go down a list of things with you that you should know up to this point. If you answer affirmatively to all of them, I’ll ask you the questions that you should be learning in the ten month time frame.”

“And if I answer all those affirmatively?” Hermione asked.

“Then I’ll be taking you in front of the board as soon as I can for your accreditation,” Severus smiled. 

“Well, let’s see what I know, then,” Hermione smiled back.

With that, Severus took Hermione through a list of questions that anyone who had apprenticed for two years would know. It was with immense satisfaction that she knew every single answer to the questions. Then he started asking her the questions that she should not yet know because she should not have learned them until her last year of being an apprentice. To Severus’s surprise, she was able to answer all of those questions without fail. 

“Well, Hermione, I have some good news and some bad news,” Severus started off. “Which would you like first?”

“The bad news, Severus,” Hermione whispered in trepidation.

“The bad news is that I don’t get the pleasure of teaching you again,” Severus replied. “Because the good news is that you answered every single question that I asked without fail. You also answered some questions that even a master typically wouldn’t come across. I have a feeling that your former master was giving you the information without being obvious about it so that you could obtain your mastery faster.”

“So that I could spend more time with Elara,” Hermione gasped in realization. 

“Exactly,” Severus chuckled. “Now we just have to tell Minerva and Albus the good news.”

In a rare display of emotion, Hermione hugged Severus. He froze for half a moment, then hugged her back. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes at having Hermione back in his arms, but her not knowing who he was to her was making him ache more and more. After a few seconds, he felt her freeze in his arms, then slowly pull back. 

“I am so sorry, Severus,” she whispered. “I let my emotions get the better of me for a moment.”

“It isn’t a problem,” Severus smiled sadly. It felt so good to have her in his arms again, but he knew he had to wait. A small gasp from her drew his attention.

“I’ve been here for over four hours!” she exclaimed, quickly standing. “I should get back to my quarters and check on Elara.”

“I would be happy to accompany you, Hermione,” Severus murmured. 

“Thank you, Severus, your offer is greatly appreciated,” Hermione blushed. 

During the walk to Hermione’s quarters, they easily made small talk. Hermione was horrified to learn that the only reason why Severus treated the Gryffindors as bad as he did was because Voldemort had ordered an eavesdropping spell to be placed on Severus’s classroom. 

“That’s horrible!” She exclaimed as they reached the door to her rooms. “Well, this is me. Thank you, Severus, for your offer and your help.” She looked up at Severus inquisitively. “Can we do this again?” 

“Of course, Hermione,” Severus softly smiled. “It would be my pleasure.” He took her hand and gently kissed it. “Good night, Hermione.” 

“Good night, Severus,” Hermione whispered, her cheeks pink. She kept his gaze for a few more moments, then turned and went inside. When she shut her door, she leaned her forehead against it, unaware that Severus was on the other side doing the exact same thing. 

“What in the world was that?” she whispered to herself, as memories started to flash through her mind. After a few minutes, she had her breathing back under control. 

“I need to visit Minerva in the morning,” she vowed, as she silently padded into her daughter’s room. She gently touched her daughter’s head, again noting the similarities between Elara and Severus. She shook her head in denial, not wanting to think of the implications. “Yeah, I definitely need to speak with Minerva - and possibly Albus.”

With that, she went to bed, though sleep was a long time coming. 


	9. ~Hermione's Decision~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter, but every time I sat down to re-read it and edit it, I kept adding to it. Now, though, I think it's finally complete :D

**Chapter 9**

**~Hermione’s Decision~**

“Minerva, what exactly is going on?” Hermione asked her favorite professor the next morning. 

“What do you mean, Hermione?” Minerva asked, confusion filling her face. She had an inkling as to what Hermione was asking, but she wanted to hear Hermione say it out loud.

“I mean, what is going on between me and Severus,” Hermione explained impatiently while pacing in front of Minerva’s desk. “After he walked me back to my quarters last night, I started getting snippets of what appeared to be memories, but I don’t remember ever being in those kinds of situations with him. And then when I went into Elara’s room to check on her, it was almost startling to see the similarities between them. I mean, I started feeling things that shouldn’t remotely be possible because I’ve never really thought of Severus like that, outside of the typical school girl crush.” She stopped her pacing and looked Minerva in the eye, a seed of...something...penetrating her mind. “What is going on and what do you know?”

Minerva sighed, knowing that while she didn’t want to lie to Hermione, she also really didn’t want to be the only one to tell her what was going on. So she decided to split the difference.

“Let me send for Albus to help explain,” Minerva sighed. She flicked her wand to cast her Patronus and send it off with a message. She knew she could have used the floo, but she wanted a couple of minutes to explain, or at least, try to explain. “Do you remember when you used the memory charm on your parents before you and the boys went searching for the horcruxes?”

“Yes,” Hermione said slowly, tears filling her eyes as she thought back. It had taken a while to find her parents again, and even longer for her parents to forgive her after restoring their memories, but things between them had never been better. “Why?”

“I’m assuming you read all the passages concerning that particular spell, yes?” Minerva asked, though she was pretty sure what the answer was going to be. It was at this point that Albus walked into the office, carrying the book in his hand. 

“Yes, every single one,” Hermione replied, wondering where Minerva was going with her line of questions. “Most of them didn’t apply to the situation, so I just kind of skimmed over them, to be honest. Again, why do you ask?”

“Read the passages again, Hermione, thoroughly this time,” Albus instructed gently. “Most of your questions will be answered there.”

Though confused, Hermione took the book from Albus and started reading the passages again. She was familiar with the first few pages, as they were the ones that she needed when she had performed the spell on her parents. It was when she started reading the next several pages that her eyes started going wide and her breath started catching. She went back and read the pages three times before she looked up at Minerva and Albus, denial running through her head. 

“This...this...how?  _ Why? _ What…” Several incomplete questions started falling from her lips as she tried to grasp what they were, and weren’t, telling her. “He did this to me?”   
  


“No, my dear,” Minerva replied gently. “You asked  _ me _ to perform this on you when you realized what the three of you had to do. You didn’t want anyone to find out, and you spent months researching the best way to protect you and them. The side effect that you’re experiencing is so extremely rare and we didn’t think it would affect you. Once you came to me with that dream, Albus went back to the book to see if anything could explain it.”

“But soulmates? They’re rare, not extremely so, but rare nonetheless,” Hermione said distractedly, again pacing in front of Minerva’s desk. “Surely other soulmate pairs have had this spell cast on them.” She stopped and stared at Albus. “And what about Severus? Surely he doesn’t know about this?” She moved her gaze to Minerva only to see her cheeks tinge pink. “Or he does and he’s keeping it to himself.” A thought occurred to her and she opened the book to read the passage again to confirm it.

“He’s said the pass phrase, hasn’t he?” Hermione whispered more to herself than the other two occupants, but they both nodded when she looked up at them. “When? When did he say it? It’s had to have been recently, otherwise he wouldn’t be he, would he? He knows…he knows what’s going on and he’s keeping it to himself.”

“He’s keeping it to himself because he wants to give you the option of making your own decisions and coming to your own conclusions,” Albus explained gently. “Yes, while you’re right that he’s keeping it to himself, he doesn’t want to push you in any one direction.”

“He’s hurting, isn’t he?” Hermione asked somewhat shrilly. “I’m hurting him by not acknowledging this...by not acknowledging him...or us.”

“Yes, he’s hurting,” Minerva quietly replied, wrapping Hermione up in a hug. “But he’d do anything for you in order for you not to hurt or be hurt.”

“He does love you, Hermione,” Albus said quietly. “That’s why he was willing to go through this.”

“Who...who was the charm performed on first?” Hermione asked hesitantly, unsure if she really wanted the answer.

Albus and Minerva looked at each other, discomfort filling both of their faces. Neither really wanted to answer, but both knew she had a right to know.

“You performed it on Severus first, before he went to Tom a few weeks before the final battle,” Minerva finally answered. “You had me perform the charm on you later on to hide you from the remaining rogue death eaters.”

“And the passphrase?” Hermione asked quietly. 

“I think before I tell you that, you should read the letter that you left Severus before you had me cast the charm,” Minerva said firmly. “My question for you is do you want him to bring it? Or do you want me to go get the letter and bring it here?”   
  


Hermione thought a moment before answering.

“Have him bring it, but I’d like to read the letter in private,” Hermione answered.

“Of course, Hermione,” Minerva smiled. “Why don’t you go sit in the chair in front of the fireplace and get comfortable? It’s facing away from the door and large enough to completely hide you when I open the door.”   
  
“Thank you, Minerva,” Hermione smiled back in gratitude. She stood and walked towards Minerva’s room, before pausing and turning back towards Albus. “And thank you, too, Albus, for everything you’ve done. No matter what happens today, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. How about I bring Elara over tomorrow so that you can finally meet her?”

“I’d be honored, Hermione,” Albus answered, his voice thick with unshed tears. “And you’re quite welcome, my dear.”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“Can I help you, Minerva?” Severus asked when he opened the door to see who his unexpected visitor was.   
  
“I need to borrow the letter that you were left,” Minerva answered firmly.

“Why?” Severus asked suspiciously.

“Because someone has requested to read it to...help explain something,” Minerva replied, slightly hesitantly.

“Hermione,” he breathed in shock. Then shook his head to try and regain some control over his emotions. “The only way that letter is going anyway is if I accompany it.”

“I assumed,” Minerva smirked, pausing for a few moments before continuing. “And so did she.”

“She wants me there?” Severus almost stumbled backwards when he heard that. 

“Yes,” Minerva nodded. “She didn’t say why, I didn’t ask, and I know better than to assume anything when it comes to Hermione.”

Severus nodded his head in agreement, then followed Minerva out the door, only pausing long enough to reset his wards so that no one could break in. Thoughts swirled through his mind, wondering what Hermione was thinking about right now. Was she happy? Sad? Terrified? If anything, she was probably confused, not that he blamed her. 

When they stepped inside Minerva’s quarters, he was slightly surprised not to see Hermione there and looked at Albus with a silent question in his eyes.

“While she wanted you to bring the letter, she wanted to read it in private in case she had an...unexpected...reaction,” Albus explained softly. Severus nodded in understanding and passed the letter over to Minerva.

“I’ll take care of it, Severus,” Minerva promised, noting the look of trepidation on his face. She gave him a reassuring smile before she entered the door to her bedroom, and again when she came back out of the bedroom less than a minute later. 

“She wanted to read it in complete privacy,” Minerva smiled. “She has both a privacy ward and a silencing ward up, just in case. She did say that she’ll send for one of us when she’s ready. We just have to try and wait patiently until then.” She sat down behind her desk and summoned something from her shelf. “Anyone up for a game of chess?”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Hermione sat on the chair with her legs tucked under her, gently holding the parchment. She recognized her own handwriting on the outside of the tube and sighed deeply before unrolling it. Her eyes started swimming with tears before she finished the first paragraph. Those tears spilled over as she continued reading. By the time she finished reading it the first time, she could barely see, her tears were so thick. She gently set the parchment down and worked on calming down before picking up the parchment and reading it again. When she got to the passphrase again, her mouth dropped open in surprise. Unlike Severus, she did not say it out loud, but she did repeat it in her head. When she did, a memory slipped through the cracks that were beginning to form.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_ “Severus, I can’t do this to you, to us,” Hermione cried, her eyes full of despair. She was gripping Severus as tightly and as close as she could. _

_ “You must, my heart,” Severus tried soothing her. “If you don’t do this - if we don’t - and we lose, all of us will be killed. I can’t have that on my conscience. We must do this to help protect us. Please, Hermione, you know it must be done.” _ __   
_   
_ __ “Severus!” Hermione sobbed into his chest. “I love you! And while I’m still able to remember, I will always love you.”

_ “I know, love,” Severus murmured into her hair. “And I love you. Just remember - this isn’t good-bye; it’s just a see-you-later.” _

_ Hermione nodded her head sadly, then used her wand to clean herself up before she looked him in the eyes and pointed her wand at his head. _

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Hermione opened her eyes when the memory faded into the ether of her mind. She knew she wanted to remember everything, but if being in a war, and being with Severus, had taught her anything, she knew she had to be careful. She also knew, though, that she didn’t want to make Severus wait too long for her. And she also knew that when she finally said the passphrase, that she would most likely need support as all the memories came back at once. 

As she continued going through possibilities, a smile started slowly forming on her face. She had forgotten to share the news that she could be immediately accredited with Albus and Minerva. It was possible that she could kill two birds with one stone. Now she was trying to determine whether to say the phrase loudly enough for everyone to hear it or if she should just whisper it and make them wonder why she’s doubled over. She frowned. No, she couldn’t do that to them. Or could she?

Would she pass out if/when she said the phrase? Had Severus? Her frown deepened when she realized that although she didn’t have the answers now, it wouldn’t be difficult to get them. Her minor trepidation morphed to flat-out fear when she thought about going back out to the other room and what everyone would say. Would they think her cowardly for locking the memories away? Would they think her brave? She rolled the parchment back up, set it on the side table, then put her head in her hands. 

She needed to talk about this with someone before she lost it. She wordlessly unlocked the door and called out for Minerva. The shocked looked on Minerva’s face when Hermione relocked the door behind her spoke volumes. 

“What do you think I should do, Minerva?” Hermione asked quietly. 

Minerva took some time to think before answering Hermione’s question.

“While I think that you’re the only one who can really answer that question,” Minerva began. “I also think that you need to do what’s best for not only you, but for Elara. Would it benefit her to have both of her parents present as she grows?” Minerva sat in the chair opposite Hermione. “When Severus apparated into my office the day he got his memories back, he was distraught with grief, thinking that the worst had happened to the two of you. When I told him, and when Albus confirmed, that you were alive, I saw the pure happiness that filled his face. Even if he didn’t realize it at the time, he missed you, Hermione, you and Elara both.” 

Minerva paused before continuing.

“After the first meeting in the hall, when he changed the meeting time with you, he had come to my office wondering if there was something that I could do to trick you into saying the phrase. I denied him and told him that it was better if you said it on your own. Now I’m going to tell you what he went through so that if or when you do say it, you’ll know what to expect. While he didn’t technically pass out, he was still technically unconscious. His mind just went deeper into itself than it ever had before. When he ‘woke up,’ he was inconsolable, to put it lightly. The first thing he said aloud was that he was coming for you, dead or alive.”

Minerva stopped speaking to let her words sink in. 

“Were we happy, Minerva?” Hermione asked after several seconds. 

“Aye, lass, you were extremely happy,” Minerva said wistfully. 

“I’ll let today flow however it may,” Hermione said slowly, coming to a decision. “But I do know that I don’t want to be alone when I say it.”

“And you won’t be,” Minerva promised. “If for some reason you don’t say it tonight, call for me when you decide to and I’ll be there with you.”

Hermione stood and gave her mentor a hug.

“Thank you, Minerva,” she whispered into Minerva’s shoulder. “For everything you’ve done for us, you have my eternal gratitude.”

“It was my honor and my pleasure, lass,” Minerva felt tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. “Come on, Hermione, let’s go save the men from themselves. They’re playing chess and Severus still expects to win against Albus.”

“He never has before,” Hermione giggled. “I doubt he’ll do so any time soon.” She froze and made her face blank. “Why do I remember that?”

“Because the memories are already starting to come back on their own,” Minerva explained gently. “Are you ready to go out there?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Hermione murmured.

Two pairs of eyes looked up as the pair re-entered the room, both sets gleaming for different reasons. Albus’s because he was privy to their conversation since Minerva had left her mind open to him. Severus’s because he was able to see happiness on Hermione’s face.

“Have you come to a decision, Hermione?” Albus asked so quietly that only she would be able to hear. 

“I told Minerva I’m going to let today flow as it will,” Hermione whispered. “If I do decide to say it, I know I’ll have all your support.”

“Yes, you will,” Albus whispered back. “But please, for everyone’s sanity, don’t leave Severus in limbo for too long. I don’t think our incoming students will be able to handle him being snarky again.”

Hermione laughed loudly at that, causing Minerva and Severus to look at her questioningly. She shook her head at them, indicating that she would tell them later. 

Hermione stayed true to her word and let the morning flow. Conversation flowed as easily as water in a river and she was leaning more and more towards saying the phrase. She knew she would have to call Winky and let her know her decision, though, especially since learning that the house elf had been trying to set her up with Severus anyway. At least she knew why now. She caught Minerva by the eye and nodded almost imperceptibly. After receiving the smallest of acknowledgements and the tiniest smile of approval, Hermione turned and faced the fireplace.

“Winky,” she called out. She only had to wait a few seconds before the house elf popped in.

“Yes, Mistress?” Winky asked.

“I know that you know what happened years ago,” Hermione whispered to her. Winky looked down in both happiness and shame. She hadn’t liked keeping something from her Mistress, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before Hermione had learned the truth. “I’m going to say the phrase, but I don’t know how long I’ll be out of it. Would you and the others be willing to keep an eye on Elara while I regain my memories?”

“Of course, Mistress,” Winky said as quietly as she could. “It would be an honor.”

“Thank you, Winky,” Hermione smiled, as she stood back up. 

“You’re welcome, Mistress,” Winky said just before apparating out. 

Still facing the fireplace, Hermione took a few deep and calming breaths. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but she knew that it had to be done. Even if she didn’t remember everything, she knew that she was not a cruel person and could not willingly let someone live with uncertainty. 

“I love Severus Snape,” she said in a whisper just loud enough that it could be considered to be said out loud. As soon as she said it, she gasped and doubled over as memory after memory quickly flashed through her mind. 

“Hermione!” Severus shouted when he heard her gasp and bend over. He looked up wildly at Albus and Minerva, wondering what he should do. When he saw the twitches at the corners of their mouths, he knew immediately what she’d done.

“Hermione,” he breathed, his voice thick with unshed tears.


End file.
